--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't play anything until I find…" description: "\"I can't play anything until I find something that connects to my life, something I can carry as my secret map or code for the character.\" — Will Patton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg" --- # I can't play anything until I find something that connects… ![“I can't play anything until I find something that connects to my life, something I can carry as my secret map or code for the character.” quote by Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg) > “I can't play anything until I find something that connects to my life, something I can carry as my secret map or code for the character.” [Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker needs a personal connection to a role, something that resonates deeply and becomes a private guide. **In simple terms:** Find a personal link to the role you play Key Takeaway Seek personal relevance in creative work Themes creativity identity connection Mood inquisitive motivational Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - acting auditions - writing - game design - personal growth Key Concepts method acting personal symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How do you discover personal relevance in a project? - What symbols can serve as your secret map? A Different Perspective Not everyone can find such a deep personal anchor ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carry Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-secret-799298/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Connects Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connects-life-1197838/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Maps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maps/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Connects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-connects-3273732/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret Map](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-map-3273731/) ## Related quotes > [Because each of you has his or her own death, you carry it with you in a secret place from the moment you're born,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/because-each-of-you-has-his-or-her-own-death-you-carry-it-with-you-in/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“To carry a secret is to play with fire. Try to pass it on and you'd risk hurting someone else. Hold on to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/to-carry-a-secret-is-to-play-with-fire-try-to-pass-it-on-and-you-d/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [Everything in life is connected somehow. You may have to dig deep to find it but its there. Everything is the same even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-brandt/everything-in-life-is-connected-somehow-you-may-have-to-dig-deep-to/) [Anthony Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-brandt/) > [“Conflict connects us to life, just as life connects us to conflict.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/conflict-connects-us-to-life-just-as-life-connects-us-to-conflict/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Many people do not know that they can strengthen or diminish the life around them. The way we live day to day simply may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/many-people-do-not-know-that-they-can-strengthen-or-diminish-the-life/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [At the core of every moral code there is a picture of human nature, a map of the universe, and a version of history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/at-the-core-of-every-moral-code-there-is-a-picture-of-human-nature-a/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Maps were so much easier than words. Words had a way of getting muddled, or meaning two things at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-howarth/maps-were-so-much-easier-than-words-words-had-a-way-of-getting/) [Lesley Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-howarth/) > [You almost hold up your piece of paper and say, ‘The girl I like just gave me a treasure map to herself.’ But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-almost-hold-up-your-piece-of-paper-and-say-the-girl-i-like-just/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Women, are a map, Avik. You've got to understand their longitude, and how much latitude you can take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/women-are-a-map-avik-you-ve-got-to-understand-their-longitude-and-how/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [I love you like Dora loves maps!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-like-dora-loves-maps/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The vast majority of local people will neither know all of the initiatives nor have any perception that the individual elements are beginning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-burrell/the-vast-majority-of-local-people-will-neither-know-all-of-the/) [Paul Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-burrell/) > [When Apple introduced its game-changing iPhone in 2007, Nokia was caught sleeping on the job. Although it had actually developed an iPhone-style device -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/when-apple-introduced-its-game-changing-iphone-in-2007-nokia-was/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-the-execution-of-the-voyage-to-the-indies-i-did-not-make-use-of/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## More by Will Patton > [I don't want to play fat cops for the rest of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-don-t-want-to-play-fat-cops-for-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) > [In a way I feel completely frightened of dealing with other human beings at all, yet here I am sticking my face in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/in-a-way-i-feel-completely-frightened-of-dealing-with-other-human/) [Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) > [I've dealt with a lot of guns over my career, so I'm getting better and better with firearms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-ve-dealt-with-a-lot-of-guns-over-my-career-so-i-m-getting-better/) [Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) > [I love things where I can be physical and I so love high stakes, and you usually don't get that unless you're doing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-love-things-where-i-can-be-physical-and-i-so-love-high-stakes-and/) [Will Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) [Explore all 5 Will Patton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't play anything until I find something that connects to my life, something I can carry as my secret map or code for the character.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Patton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-something-that-connects-to-my-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-something-that-connects-to-my-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/will-patton-61394_character_i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-somet_1966235.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't play anything until I find something that connects to my life, something I can carry as my secret…” — Will Patton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Will Patton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-patton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't play anything until I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-something-that-connects-to-my-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-patton/i-can-t-play-anything-until-i-find-something-that-connects-to-my-life/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```